Keyboard-machine.



No. 707,7l4.

(.No Model.)

P atented Aug. 26, I902. T. W. OTTO.

KEYBOARD MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1901.)

' 6 Shanta-Shoot I.

.fOW V 6 E (3 0 IO u O 01 6 O G 0 0 O O O Patented Aug- 26, I902. T. W.OTTO. KEYBOARD MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1901 (No Model.)

IIII/EAITOI? m: ohms PETERS co. FNQTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. o. c.

Patented Aug. 26, I902. T. W. OTTO.

KEYBOARD MACHINE,

(Application filed (m. as. 1901.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

LJIIIIIII I I l (@J/TNESSES m: NORRIS PETERS 00,. PHOTO-HTML).wAsumaToN, n c

No. 707,7l4. Patented Aug. 2.6, I902.

T. W. OTTO.

KEYBOARD MACHINE.

Application filed Oct. 28, 1901.) v

6 sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

. R w 51mm U Q 'nvvmron c q G o 0 0 mmfi c M 2. Q fir UnTTEn STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE IVILLIAM OTTO, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

KEYBOARD-MACHINE.

SPECIFlUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,714, dated August26, 1902. Application filed October 23, 1901. Serial No. 79.675. N0model.)

To ctZ], whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE WILLIAM OTTO, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inKeyboard- Machines, of which the following is a full and completespecification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to keyboard machines and instruments, such astype-writing machines, cash-registers, pianos, organs, and othermachines and instruments of this class; and the object thereof is toprovide such machines or instruments with means for automaticallydepressing a key or keys to the desired extent after the initialdepression has been given by hand in the usual manner, whereby theoperation of the machine or instrument will be made less laborious and.

or devices being constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown myinvention applied to an ordinary type-writing machine, and in thedrawings in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated bythe same reference charactersin each of the views, Fig; ure lis a planview of the base portion of a type-writing machine, the top portion ofthe machine being removed and part of the construction being shown insection; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on the line 5139! of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrow A; Fig. 3, a partial section onthe line of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow B; Fig. 4, anoutside view of the right-hand side of the machine, part of theconstruction being shown in section; Fig. 0, a sectional side view of adetail of the construction which I employ and showing one of the keysand the support thereof, together with the outer end of one ofthekey-bars; Fig. 6, a longitudinal sectional view of another detail ofthe construction, showing one of the two solenoids which I employ; Fig.7, a plan view of a transverse plate forming a part of the keyboardmechanism; Figs. 8 and 9, similar views of another plate forming partofsaid mechanism; Fig. 9, a view similar to Figs. 7, S, and 9 of anotherkeyboard-plate; Fig. 10, a front edge view of the plate shown in Fig. 9and showing one of the end connections therefor; Fig.

11, a sectional plan view of the opposite sides of the machine andshowinga part of my improved mechanism connected therewith; Fig. 12, aninside view of a switch device which in practice is connected with theinside of the left-hand sideof the base portion of the machine; Fig. 13,a section on the line M M of Fig. 11; Fig. 14, a perspective view of apart of the machine and parts of the improved apparatus which I employ,and Fig. 15 a section on the line N N of Fig. 12.

In the drawings forming part of this specification Ihave. only shownsuch parts of a type-writing machine as are necessary to illustrate theconstruction and operation of my improvement, and in said drawings theframe of the machine comprises a base portion'composed of a hollowtransverse back member a, a left-hand side plate a a righthand sideplate 6L3, a transverse front plate 0. together with a transverse bar aarranged rearwardly of the keyboard, and vertical side or corner postsa, which support the annular top plate-a and the other parts of themachine connected therewith, all of these parts being of the usual formand construction;

In the practice of my invention I secure to the inner side of each ofthe side plates a and a of the frame of the machine a solenoid a one ofwhich is shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 6, and these solenoidsare each provided in the rear end thereof with a longitudinally-movableplungera", each of which is provided with a stem 1), which passesthrough a suitable support or guide I)", said supports or guides beingsecured to the rear upright posts a of the frame of the machine,

and the stems b of the plungers a, are insulated from the supports 12 asshown at 12 The solenoids a are placed in connection at their rear endsby a wire b and secured to the inner sides of the separate side pieces aand a of the frame of the machine are guides or keepers 19 in which aremounted slide-bars b, which are connected at their forward ends by atransverse bar 19*, which is provided with a forwardly-directed edge 19at the top thereof, the bottom of said bar being inclined downwardly andbackwardly, as shown at 12 this construction being clearly shown in Fig.6, and theslide-bars b and the cross-bar connected therewith, beingshown in plan in Fig. 1. The rear ends of the slide-bars I) enter thesolenoids a and said slide-bars are composed of metal, and that partthereof which enters and moves in the solenoids is provided with aninsulating sleeve or covering 0, as is also clearly shown in Fig. 6.

- Mounted between the front portions of the side plates a and a andunder the rear row of keys. is a transverse yoke-shaped device 1 raised,and by turning said crank backwardly the bar 0 will be lowered, as willbe readily understood.

Secured to the right-hand frame-plate a midway between the right-handsolenoid a and the front upright or post a is a rheostat consisting of aplate g having three bindingposts 0 c and e at the bottom thereof, andsaid plate is also provided in the top thereof with a centralbinding-post e and at the opposite sides thereof with stops 6 the stops6 being on the outer side of said plate and the binding-post e being onthe inner side thereof, and said binding-post is provided at the outerend thereof outside of the said plate with a contact knob or button eConnected with the outer ends of the binding-posts c and c at the bottomof the plate 0 are circuit-wires e? and e ,and mounted on the outer endof the post 6 at the bottom of the plate 0 isa switchlever 6 and theinner ends of the posts 6 and e are connected by a plate 6 A wire econnects the right-hand solenoid a? with the inner end of thebinding-post c and another wire fis connected with the inner end of thebinding-post e at the top of the plate 0 and extends forwardly and isconnected with the vertically-movable transverse bar 0 at f*, and thiswire is carried along the bar 0 transversely of the keyboard and is.connected with a binding-post f secured to a contact-plate f secured tothe forwardly-directed member 0 of the bare at the left-hand end of saidbar, this connection between the contact-plate f and theforwardly-directed member a of the bar 0 being made at the pivotalsupport 0 of said bar on the left-hand side of the machine, and as thusconstructed it will be seen that the contact-plate f swings verticallywith the bar 0 Secured to the inside of the left-hand frameplate a at fis a spring contact-plate f which is provided with a binding-post f anda wire f connects the left-hand solenoid a with the binding-post f Theinner or rear side of the spring contact-plate fZ-in connection withwhich the outer or front end of the contact-plate)" operates, isinsulated at f", as shown in Fig. 15, and the outer end of thecontact-plate f is beveled, as shown in Fig. 13, the upper edge thereofbeing beveled on its outer side and the lower edge thereof being beveledon its inner side, and as the outer or front end of the contact-plate fmoves upwardly it passes on the outer side of the inner end of thecontact-plate f and the electrical circuit is brokeng'but as the outerend of the contact-plate f moves downwardly it passes on the inner sideof the inner end of the contact-plate f and electrical connection ismade.

Secured to the vertically-movable bar 0 preferably at the right-hand endthereof, is a spring g, which is also secured to the righthandframe-plate a the object of this spring being to automatically raise thebar 0 after it has been depressed, said bar being depressed in theoperation of the machine, as hereinafter described, by the key-bars eachtime that one of the keys is operated, this being the operation when theelectrical apparatus is in operation; but when the electrical apparatusis not in operation the machine the slide-bars b backwardlyintheoperation of the machine, as hereinafter described, the forwardmovement of the bar I) and the slide I) being accomplished by theoperation of the solenoids a.

In this invention the keys are all supported by tubes 9 with which theyare connected, and the tubes g on each row of keys pass through and areloosely movable in two transverse vertically-arranged and stationaryplates g and g". The top plates g of the separate rows of key-tubesareall of the same form and construction, and one of the said plates isshown in Fig. 7. The plates 9 of the second and third rows of keys andkeytubes are of the same form and construction, and one of said platesis shown in Fig. 8.

The plate 9 of the front row of keys and keytubes is shown in Fig. 9,while the plate 9 01": the rear row of keys and key-tubes is shown inFig. 9.

The transverse plates 9 and g are rigidly secured to the front portionsof the side plates 0, and a of the frame of the machine and are allprovided with circular openings g through which the tubes g pass, andthe plate g of the front row of keys and key-tubes is provided near itsopposite ends with downwardly-directed loops 9", adapted to receive theside bars 71. of the space-bar k and by which said space-bar issupported.

Secured to the inner side of the opposite side plates a and a of themachine are hangers or supports 7L3, in which are loosely mounted fourplates h, and these plates 71 are movable longitudinally and areprovided with circular openings h similar to the openings 9 in theplates 9 and g, and the key-tubes in the operation of the machine areadapted under certain conditions to pass through these openings; but inthe normal position of the key-tubes they are held at a short andpredetermined distance above the plates h, as shown in Fig. 2. Theplates 71 are connected at the left-hand ends by a transverse plate 7L6and at the right-hand ends by a transverse plate 71 and the said platesmay be jointly moved longitudinally a short distance by catching hold ofthe right-hand ends thereof, as will be readily understood. Each of thekey-bars k is provided near its front end with an upwardly-directedmember 7L9, having a backwardly-directed arm '2 provided with a head 7?,the upper surface of which is inclined downwardly and backwardly, asshown at 2' and the members i of the back- Wardly-direoted arms iof theupwardly-directed members it of the key-bars h are all normally held ina transverse row between the upright members or posts a at the front ofthe machine. Each key-bar 71,8 is also provided with aforwardly-directed member 6*, having an upwardly and forwardly directedarm t and these arms pass through slots 2' in the correspondingkey-tubes g as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and the arms 2' of the keybarsare held between the plates and g of all the rows of keys, and each ofthe tubes g is provided with a spring i which is placed in the lower endthereof, and these springs normally serve to hold the key-bars in theiruppermost position. The plates g of the second and third rows ofkey-tubes are each provided in their front edges with slots 2' whichcommunicate with the openings g and said plates are also provided intheir rear edges with slots 7t", which are not in trans verse line withthe slots i and the plate g of the front row of key-tubes is alsoprovided on its front edge with slots i while the plate 9 of the rearrow of key-tubes is provided in its rear edge with slots 71), similar tothose in the plates g of the second and third rows of key-tubes, andthese slots 2' and 7a in tho plates 9 are designed to permit of themovement of the upwardly-directed portions of the arms 2' of thekey-bars h The bars g and 9 through which the keytubes pass, form guidesfor said tubes and hold the key-bars h in perfect alinement at all timesand prevent lateral movement of said key-bars, and with the exception ofthe parts herein shown and described as forming part of my improvementit will be understood that all the rest of the operating mechanism ofthe machine is the same as is now employed in all standard type-writers,and the said other parts of the machine for this reason are not hereinshown and described in detail; but in Fig. 2 I have shown one of thetype-arms at k and the rod which con nects the said type-arm with thecorresponding key-bar ha, and in this figure I have also shown at k theribbon-support, at 70 a part of the mechanism which operates inconnection with the space-bar, and at 7.2 one of the rods which inpractice is connected with the shift-key, said shift-key being notshown.

As hereinbefore stated, a machine provided with my improvement may beoperated entirely by hand-in the usual manner, and in order to do thisall that is necessary is to move the crank o backwardly. This operationdepresses the bar 0 and the right-hand end member 0 thereof Will engagewith the catchscrew 7o 'or any other suitable device secured in theright-hand side plate a of the frame and holding the bar 0 in adepressed position, and in this position of said bar the circuit isincomplete and the keys may be operated by the fingers in the usualmanner. In this operation the plates h beneath the separate rows ofkey-tubes are so adjusted that the said key-tubes pass freely throughthe openings 7L therein, and the key-tubes are depressed to the fullextent by the fingers in the usual manner. Whenever it is desired toemploy the electrical apparatus herein shown and described fordepressing the keys, the key-tubes, and key-bars, the crank c is pulledforwardly, so as to disengage the righthand end members 0 from the catchW, and the spring g at once throws the bar 0 up against the bottom ofall the key-bars 7L3, where it is normally held by said spring. Theplates 7!? beneath the separate rows of keytubes are also adjusted sothat the key-tubes will not pass through the openings h therein, butwill strike on said plates the instant that said tubes have been given aslight depression by hand. If one of the keys be now struck by thefinger very slightly, so as to depress the corresponding key-bar to aslight extent, or, in other words, if said key-bar be given an initialdownward movement, the bar a is also depressed at the same instant, andthe key-tube strikes the corresponding plate 71, and the depression ofthe bar a throws up the forward end of the contact-plate f andelectrical connection is made with the contactplate f, and thisoperation completes the circuit through the solenoids a the'plungers ctare drawn inwardly, and the slide-bars Z) are forced forwardly and withthem the trans verse bar 17 As the bar 1) moves forwardly the front edgethereof strikes the head '5 of the arm i of the upwardly-directed memberh of the key-bar 77. which is operated by the depressed key, and thisoperation forces the said key-bar downwardly to the desired extent andatthe same time locks all the other key-bars against downward movement,the

said bar b moving beneath .the arms 1 of the other key-bars, as clearlyshown in Fig. 14.,

and this locking of the key-bars which are not given an initial movementagainst the depression or downward movement is one of the importantfeatures of this invention, as it prevents any of the key-bars which arenot struck by the hand or. given an initial movement be.- ing operated.In this downward movement of the key bar or bars the springs i in thetubes g are depressed, and on the release of the said bars they areinstantly thrown upwardly by the said springs. It will be understoodthat the making and breaking of the contact between the contact-plates fand f is instantaneous, and'as the said contact is broken the bar 19 isdrawn backwardly by the spring 9 and this backward and forward movementof the bar I) may be made as rapidly as it is possible to strike thekeys. From this construction it will be seen that when the electricalapparatus is in, operation all the necessary movement or depression ofthe keys and key-bars, except the initial or start ing thereof,isoccasioned by the bar b and only a slight stroke with the hand isnecessary in order to depress the keys or key-bars t0 the desiredextent. I I My improved apparatus issimple in construction and operationand perfectly adapted to acco'mplishthe result for which it is intended,and by means thereof a keyboardmachine of any kind or class may beoperated with far less physical exertion and more rapidity than ispossible with such machines as usually constructed.

a In practice the circuit-wires e and e are connected ,with any suitablesource of electrical supply or generator, and for this purpose anordinary battery may be employed,

and when the switch-lever e is in the position shown in Fig. tthecurrent is turned on, and by, moving said switch-lever in eitherdirection or against either of the stops 6 the current will be turnedoff. It will also be apparent that many changes .in and modifications ofthe construction herein described may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve theright to make all such alterations therein as fairly come within thescope of my invention.

, Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

pressible keys and key-bars, a member mounted transversely of themachine rearwardly of the keyboard, electrical devices for moving saidmember forwardly when one or more of the keys are given an initialdownward movement, devices connected with the key-bars and operated uponby said member for completing the downward movement of the key or keysand means for moving said member backwardly, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A keyboard-machine provided with keybars and keys, a key-bar lockingand depressing device mounted rearwardly of the keyboard andtransversely of the machine and movable forwardly and backwardly,electrical devices for moving said first-named device forwardlyand fordepressing such key-bars as have been given an initial downward movementand for locking the others, and means for moving said first-named devicebackwardly, substantially as shown and described.

3. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys, aforwardly and backwardly key-bar depressing and locking device mountedtransversely of the machine rearwardly of the keyboard. and adapted todepress the key-bars "after they have been given an initial downwardmovement and lock those which have not been given an initial downwardmovement, said device being in an electric open circuit which is closedby an initial downward movement of the key bar or bars at which timesaid device is drawn forwardly and means for moving said devicebackwardly, substantially as shown and described.

4. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys, aforwardly and backwardly key-bar depressing and locking device mountedrearwardly of the keyboard and transversely of the machine, electricaldevices for moving said first-named device forwardly when a key-bar hasbeen given an initial downward movement and means for moving said devicebackwardly, substantially as shown and described.

5. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys, anelectricallyoperated device for completing the depression of. one of thekey-bars after it has been given an initial downward movement and meanswhereby the said device iocks all the keybars which are not given aninitial downward movement, substantially as shown and described.

-6. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys, akey-bar depress ing and locking device mounted transversely of themachineand rearwardly of the keyboard and movable forwardly andbackwardly, said device being in an open electric circuit which isclosed by an initial movement given to one or more of the key-bars andby which said device is drawn forwardly, and means for moving saiddevice backwardly, said key- 1. A keyboard-machine provided with delbars being also provided with devices operating in connection with saidfirst-named device whereby the forward movement of said firstnameddevice depresses the key-bars that have been given an initial movementand locks the remainder thereof, substantially as shown and described.

7. A keyboard-machine provided with depressiblc key-bars and keys,solenoids mounted at the opposite sides of the rear portion of themachine and provided in their rear ends with longitudinally-movableplungers, bars passing into the'front ends of the said solenoids andconnected by a transverse key-bar, depressing and locking device, atransverse bar pivoted beneath the rear portion of the keyboard andnormally held against the bottom of the key-bars, contact devices at oneside of the keyboard, one of which is connected with said pivot-bar,said contact devices being in electrical connection with said solenoids,and means whereby the key-bar depressing and locking device operates tocom-.

plete the depression of one of said bars after it has been given aninitial downward movement and to lock the other bars, substantially asshown and described.

8. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys,solenoids mounted at the opposite sides of the rear portion of the frameof the machine and provided at their rearends with plungers a,slide-bars I) mounted in the front ends of said solenoids and connectedby a cross-bar W, a verticallymovable transverse bar a mounted beneaththe rear portion of the keyboard and provided with forwardly-directedmembers 0 which are pivoted to the opposite sides of the frame of themachine, means for holding said bar (2 in the raised position againstthe bottom of the key-bars, electrical contact devices at one side ofthe keyboard, one of which is connected with said bar 0 said contactdevices being also in electrical connection with said solenoids, andsaid solenoids being in electrical connection, and a switch deviceplaced at one side of the machine and in a circuit formed by thesolenoids, the connecting-wires and said contact devices, said switchdevice being provided with circuit-wires, substantially as shown anddescribed.

9. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and keys, aforwardly and backwardly movable device mounted rearwardly of thekeyboard, devices whereby the forward movement of the said first-nameddevice depresses a key-bar after it has been given an initial downwardmovement and locks all the other key-bars, said device being mounted inan open electrical circuitthe closing of which moves said deviceforwardly, means whereby the depression of a key opens and closes saidcircuit and means for moving said device backwardly, substantially asshown and described.

10. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and key-tubesby which the keys are supported, stationary transverse plates in whichsaid tubes are mounted and vertically movable, movable plates mountedbeneath said tubes and provided with openings adapted to receive thesame, said tubes being provided with springs in the lower ends thereofand with slots and said key-bars being provided with members which passthrough said slots between said stationary plates, substantially asshown and described.

11. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and key-tubesby which the keys are supported, stationary transverse plates in whichsaid tubes are mounted and vertically movable, movable plates mountedbeneath said tubes and provided with openings adapted to receive thesame, said tubes being provided with springsin the lower ends thereofand with slots and said key-bars being provided with members which passthrough said slots between said stationary plates, and devices wherebysaid key-bars areautomatically depressed to the desired extent afterthey have been given an initial downward movement, substantially asshown and described.

12. A keyboard-machine provided with depressible key-bars and key-tubesby which the keys are supported, stationary transverse plates in whichsaid tubes are mounted and vertically movable, movable plates mountedbeneath said tubes and provided with openings adapted to receive thesame, said tubes being provided with springs in the lower ends thereofand with slots and said key-bars being provided with members which passthrough said slots between said stationary plates, and devices wherebysaid key-bars are automatically depressed to the desired extent afterthey have been given an initial downward movement, the key-bars whichhave not been given an initial downward movement being at the same timelocked by said devices, substantially as shown and described.

13. Akeyboard-machine provided with the usual key-bars,verticallyarranged tubes forming key-supports, said tubes, beingarranged in rows, transversely-arranged plates through which said tubespass and in which said tubes are freeto move, movable plates mountedbeneath said tubes, and provided with openings adapted to receive saidtubes, said key-bars being provided with members which pass throughslots formedin said tubes and springs placed in said tubes and uponwhich said members bear, substantially as shown and described.

14. A machine of the class described provided with a plurality ofkey-bars and vertically-movable key-tubes, said tubes being slotted andadapted to receive members connected with said bars, movable platesmounted beneath said key-tubes and provided with openings adapted toreceive the same and devices adapted to depress said key-bars to the ICCdesired extent after they have been given an initial downward movement,substantially as shown and described.

15. A keyboard machine provided with key-supporting tubes which arevertically m0vable,stationary transverse plates through which said tubespass, movable plates mounted below said tubes and provided with openingsadapted to receive the same, and means whereby the key-bars, after theyhave been given an initial downward movement, are antomaticallydepressed to the desired extent, substantially as shown and described.

16. A keyboard machine provided with key-supporting tubes. which arevertically movable,stationary transverse plates through which said tubespass, movable plates mountwhich are not depressed, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 12th day ofOctober, 1901.

THEODORE WILLIAM OTTO.

Witnesses:

JOSIAH BRADLEY, MAX J. OTTO.

